Building presence, enhancing connectivity, and building community
Many of the instructors talked about the importance of creating a “community of learners,” which is a well-known challenge in online education (Brufee, 1999; Harasim, Hiltz, Teles, & Turoff, 1998). To create this community, the research participants shared their experiences of establishing “social presence,” also known as a feeling of connection and community among individuals (Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976). One instructor summed up what many discovered:
A lot of people are afraid that replacing seat time with online is going to diminish the quality of the relationship – whether it is teacher-student or student-student. And actually I have to say from my experience it is contrary to that… I get more quality interactions and feedback from the students ... which then helps increase my connection to them.
Study findings indicate that when a positive climate is created, hybrid environments have the potential to increase and extend connectivity and to build relationships even more so than in traditional or online courses.
Connectivity Challenges
The biggest concern instructors feared when converting their traditional courses to the hybrid environment was the potential of losing the connection they had with students. One instructor who taught a freshman seminar explained that he had “withdrawals” from not being able to meet personally with each of his students as often as he did when he taught the same course face-to-face. Another undergraduate lecturer felt a sense of “panic at first” because she also was concerned about the lack of social interaction. Both instructors admitted that they needed more experience creating interactive discussions, particularly with freshmen who needed more attention. These instructors also noted that students seemed to “disengage” from discussions if they were given too much work. Others noted that “sometimes students disappear” online and that it can be tricky to get some students to participate. However, experienced hybrid instructors and faculty with online teaching experience were more at ease “encouraging people to ask questions of each other online” and getting students to share ideas. These instructors also found that their students were excited about logging in to see what people said. So while many felt it was important to “have some physical contact with an instructor,” they also were able to build connections through online discussions in between in-person meetings. When these connections were created, most felt that the communication increased in a hybrid course compared to traditional courses.
3.) Sometimes we can lose the connection and our ability as instructors to build presence in the mediated environment. Instructors need to develop skills and strategies to meet these needs in the blended format. What are some ways one can successfully enhance social presence and connectedness with students?
<Please enter your group's comments here>
Go to YouTube and post bio - introduce themselves
Cisco has a new tool like YouTube and have your own branding
Students know how to use YouTube, you can have your own channel
Synchronous tools - Google+ - could be used to assist with group work - you can create documents while you have conversations
Some students hesitant about video. One suggestion is to use avatars when students are comfortable with talking but not having their own video.
At first, you focus on the textbook, but a lot of students prefer not to learn that way. If instructors can chunk little snippets - 5 minutes at most - 10 mini-lectures. Seeing the work demonstrated helps students learn. When a student feels that they have different options to learn materials, then they feel more connected. They also recognize that this is a real college course.
#1 thing that makes students happy is quick response time from the instructor. Using a discussion forum, students can answer each other.
Using a separate space in the discussion forum to ask questions and to interact with each other.
Students want the sage on the stage, so the challenge as the instructor is to move the discussion forward and not halt that discussion. This is especially true with students from different cultures. When students get over that hurdle of wanting the instructor to tell them the right answer, then they have good instructors.
Discussion forums for course topics, as well as other forums - more social spaces - for creating community and fostering connections.
Social media can be used to connect with students to continue conversations outside class.
Synchronous chat - start off with some social banter - then launch into the class discussion (fully online courses)
We need to have conversations about trust, digital literacy, etc. and we should have conversations about expected behavior. Add information to the syllabus. Instructor is very clear about expected behavior. Clear expectations can set the stage for student behavior. When is it appropriate to use certain types of communication (e.g., abbreviations, emoticons, etc.).
Account maintenance - trying to help students get over these anxieties. Students not used to using certain tools, like Google apps, for learning
Quick response helps create connections. How do you do this without going crazy? Be clear about when you will get back to students (e.g., 24 hours). Students have to know when you as the instructor plan to respond to them. Need to make those expectations about communication.
Chat tools - great because you can view the logs.
Focus on learning goals and objectives with the course. Trying to get students comfortable in the digital age. Instructors often have a course and a half for themselves, but try not to create that situation for their students.
Integration - the hardest part of a blended course. What do you put online? What do you do face-to-face?
The #1 thing instructors can do to get student interaction is put them in groups and get them working together. You can create these teams in the f2f time, and then have the activity completed online.
The online forum is a great place for them to work together and decide what they will do in the f2f session.
Teamwork helps with connectivity. Icebreaker activities can also be done online. Having a classroom with computers is great, and students can get online during class time. Problem-based, in-class problem-solving - having something to work on together f2f - this creates community. This also gives them the foundation that they can work together.
Evaluating other team members - this is a good motivator knowing that everyone in group will be evaluating their team.
Make team work count - taking a team exam together.
How do you do blended when everyone is scattered around the world? Easy to build a community with grad students online - they don't have as many problems working together as undergraduates. To accommodate time zones, may have to have a couple of sessions.
After teaching online/blended, taking a course in that format can give instructors new perspective.
Throw something in that students are interested in - they will be active in the discussions if you find topics they are passionate about.
Coffee talk/hallway chat discussion forums - giving students a space to talk about topics not related to the class. Anything that creates social energy can spill over to the academic discussions. Makes it feel more human. Taking the personal beyond that first week.
Care from the instructor is the #1 thing. Adding a personal touch, like something as simple as adding their name to the comments.
New to blended courses (former options were fully online or f2f) - they thought this would provide students the best of both worlds. But students see it as just the opposite - the worst of both worlds. Have a conversation with your students about what blended is - it may take them time to learn this format. The fear of the unknown - once students learn what blended courses are and the expectations, then they will get used to it.
Many of the instructors talked about the importance of creating a “community of
learners,” which is a well-known challenge in online education (Brufee, 1999; Harasim, Hiltz,
Teles, & Turoff, 1998). To create this community, the research participants shared their
experiences of establishing “social presence,” also known as a feeling of connection and
community among individuals (Short, Williams, & Christie, 1976). One instructor summed up
what many discovered:
A lot of people are afraid that replacing seat time with online is going to diminish the
quality of the relationship – whether it is teacher-student or student-student. And actually
I have to say from my experience it is contrary to that… I get more quality interactions
and feedback from the students ... which then helps increase my connection to them.
Study findings indicate that when a positive climate is created, hybrid environments have
the potential to increase and extend connectivity and to build relationships even more so than in
traditional or online courses.
Connectivity Challenges
The biggest concern instructors feared when converting their traditional courses to the
hybrid environment was the potential of losing the connection they had with students. One
instructor who taught a freshman seminar explained that he had “withdrawals” from not being
able to meet personally with each of his students as often as he did when he taught the same
course face-to-face. Another undergraduate lecturer felt a sense of “panic at first” because she
also was concerned about the lack of social interaction. Both instructors admitted that they
needed more experience creating interactive discussions, particularly with freshmen who needed
more attention. These instructors also noted that students seemed to “disengage” from
discussions if they were given too much work. Others noted that “sometimes students disappear”
online and that it can be tricky to get some students to participate. However, experienced hybrid
instructors and faculty with online teaching experience were more at ease “encouraging people to
ask questions of each other online” and getting students to share ideas. These instructors also
found that their students were excited about logging in to see what people said. So while many
felt it was important to “have some physical contact with an instructor,” they also were able to
build connections through online discussions in between in-person meetings. When these
connections were created, most felt that the communication increased in a hybrid course
compared to traditional courses.
3.) Sometimes we can lose the connection and our ability as instructors to build presence in the mediated environment. Instructors need to develop skills and strategies to meet these needs in the blended format. What are some ways one can successfully enhance social presence and connectedness with students?
<Please enter your group's comments here>
Go to YouTube and post bio - introduce themselves
Cisco has a new tool like YouTube and have your own branding
Students know how to use YouTube, you can have your own channel
Synchronous tools - Google+ - could be used to assist with group work - you can create documents while you have conversations
Some students hesitant about video. One suggestion is to use avatars when students are comfortable with talking but not having their own video.
At first, you focus on the textbook, but a lot of students prefer not to learn that way. If instructors can chunk little snippets - 5 minutes at most - 10 mini-lectures. Seeing the work demonstrated helps students learn. When a student feels that they have different options to learn materials, then they feel more connected. They also recognize that this is a real college course.
#1 thing that makes students happy is quick response time from the instructor. Using a discussion forum, students can answer each other.
Using a separate space in the discussion forum to ask questions and to interact with each other.
Students want the sage on the stage, so the challenge as the instructor is to move the discussion forward and not halt that discussion. This is especially true with students from different cultures. When students get over that hurdle of wanting the instructor to tell them the right answer, then they have good instructors.
Discussion forums for course topics, as well as other forums - more social spaces - for creating community and fostering connections.
Social media can be used to connect with students to continue conversations outside class.
Synchronous chat - start off with some social banter - then launch into the class discussion (fully online courses)
We need to have conversations about trust, digital literacy, etc. and we should have conversations about expected behavior. Add information to the syllabus. Instructor is very clear about expected behavior. Clear expectations can set the stage for student behavior. When is it appropriate to use certain types of communication (e.g., abbreviations, emoticons, etc.).
Account maintenance - trying to help students get over these anxieties. Students not used to using certain tools, like Google apps, for learning
Quick response helps create connections. How do you do this without going crazy? Be clear about when you will get back to students (e.g., 24 hours). Students have to know when you as the instructor plan to respond to them. Need to make those expectations about communication.
Chat tools - great because you can view the logs.
Focus on learning goals and objectives with the course. Trying to get students comfortable in the digital age. Instructors often have a course and a half for themselves, but try not to create that situation for their students.
Integration - the hardest part of a blended course. What do you put online? What do you do face-to-face?
The #1 thing instructors can do to get student interaction is put them in groups and get them working together. You can create these teams in the f2f time, and then have the activity completed online.
The online forum is a great place for them to work together and decide what they will do in the f2f session.
Teamwork helps with connectivity. Icebreaker activities can also be done online. Having a classroom with computers is great, and students can get online during class time. Problem-based, in-class problem-solving - having something to work on together f2f - this creates community. This also gives them the foundation that they can work together.
Evaluating other team members - this is a good motivator knowing that everyone in group will be evaluating their team.
Make team work count - taking a team exam together.
How do you do blended when everyone is scattered around the world? Easy to build a community with grad students online - they don't have as many problems working together as undergraduates. To accommodate time zones, may have to have a couple of sessions.
Team work/collaboration resource: http://engage.wisc.edu/collaboration
After teaching online/blended, taking a course in that format can give instructors new perspective.
Throw something in that students are interested in - they will be active in the discussions if you find topics they are passionate about.
Coffee talk/hallway chat discussion forums - giving students a space to talk about topics not related to the class. Anything that creates social energy can spill over to the academic discussions. Makes it feel more human. Taking the personal beyond that first week.
Care from the instructor is the #1 thing. Adding a personal touch, like something as simple as adding their name to the comments.
New to blended courses (former options were fully online or f2f) - they thought this would provide students the best of both worlds. But students see it as just the opposite - the worst of both worlds. Have a conversation with your students about what blended is - it may take them time to learn this format. The fear of the unknown - once students learn what blended courses are and the expectations, then they will get used to it.